TitleNews Online Archive

TitleNews Online Archive

Stewart Title Expands in Southwest Florida

February 14, 2005

RISMEDIA, – Stewart Title Co. has acquired Pine Island Title Insurance and Burnt Store Title Services Inc. of Bokeelia and Punta Gorda, Fla., respectively. Both offices will operate as branch offices of Executive Title Insurance Services, a Stewart Title subsidiary.

"With the acquisition of Burnt Store Title and Pine Island Title, we have connected with two strategic locations within Southwest Florida," said Richard S. Yankowski Jr., chief executive officer, Executive Title. "Building upon our strength, Executive Title has acquired these offices to give superior service to the customers on the Southwest coast of Florida."

"I am very excited about Pine Island Title becoming a part of the Stewart family," said Tracy Townsend, vice president and the new Pine Island office manager. "Combining the experience and knowledge of the Pine Island Title employees with Executive Title and Stewart's technology advances will result in increased customer satisfaction."

Townsend is a Fort Myers native. She has been with Executive Title since 1987 and has worked in management positions for the past eight years.

"There are advantages to being with a larger, technologically-advanced company such as Executive Title," said Linda Raphial, vice president and Burnt Store office manager. "For example, we will soon be placing our closing files online with SureClose, which will allow our real estate agents, buyers and sellers to keep track of their transactions any time, 24x7."

Raphial has been with Burnt Store Title for nearly two years and grew up in the area.

"Both of these companies have a great staff," said Yankowski. "The acquisition is going smoothly. They are all excited about going paperless and being part of our company."